All Reviews by ilikerobots
Service with a Smile
by Charles Louis Fontenay
More of a long joke than a short story. Maybe worth the 10 minutes it takes to read. It's got a robot, anyway.
Compatible
by Richard R. Smith
The idea is worn out by 2009, and I imagine it probably wasn't that original in 1958 either. Unfortunately, there's not much to the story besides the idea itself.
The Skull
by Philip K. Dick
It's inevitable that the reader accustomed to PKD's usual mind bending plots will anticipate this particular ending. For those new to PKD, it will be a fine story. For those who have read his later works, it is interesting to see his early plot devices.
Farewell to the Master
by Harry Bates
This is of my favorite SF stories. To me, the entire point of the story is that zinger at the end. While I enjoy the 1951 movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still" I consider it only loosely based on this story precisely because it leaves out this crucial ending. I haven't seen the latest movie, but it seems it's more a remake of the 1951 film than a another take on this story.
This story has always reminded me of "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale" by Philip K Dick, which also has a great zinger at the end. Interestingly, that story was also made into a movie (Total Recall [1990]) that skips the zinger. But again, the movie is ok.
The Mathematicians
by Arthur Feldman
I can't tell if the whole story was a simply a setup for the bad bun. Whether or not, you can avoid this one.
There Will Be School Tomorrow
by V.E. Thiessen
Cheryl said it well; the story reads like a Twilight Zone episode.
Refuge
by Richard Herley
Fast-paced with an accessible protagonist. I was impressed enough to donate a bit of change on the author's website in return for making this excellent work freely available to readers.
Mutineer
by Robert J. Shea
Strange little story. Not bad at all, but perhaps one too many facets for such a small page count.
The Day of the Nefilim
by David L. Major
A touch of Neil Gaiman with a bit of John Varley. Entertaining, smart, and exciting.
City at World's End
by Edmond Hamilton
Enjoyable and well-written. The treatment of the female characters was a little condescending, though. While it features a strong female character, the lead male eventually recognizes her to be just a "anxious woman, almost a girl". Well, it's easily enough ignored, at least for this (male) reviewer.
The Hated
by Frederik Pohl
Well written, but enjoying the story is dependent upon disregarding a basic grasp of human psychology.
The Memory of Mars
by Raymond F. Jones
Yes, it bears quiet a resemblance to PKD's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" and "Imposter"
In the Control Tower
by Will Mohler
Don't know anything about this author, but the story was unexpectedly good!
The Day of the Boomer Dukes
by Frederik Pohl
A well written story, though by now the themes Pohl uses seem commonplace.
The Capgras Shift
by Sam Vaknin
I was rather surprised; this is an excellent little story. A psychologist takes on a patient who has some trouble recognizing those she's closest to.
2 B R O 2 B
by Kurt Vonnegut
A perfect example of Vonnegut; a perfect example of what SF is all about.
The Day Time Stopped Moving
by Bradner Buckner
A clever little story, if you don't mind disregarding the rather illogical premise (e.g why isn't the air solid along with everything else?)